Happy Halloween! A day where we dress up in costume, eat a TON of candy (that we probably wouldn’t eat any other time of year), and celebrate the spookiness of haunted houses and pumpkin patches. With all of this, there is a sense of magic in the air! With 2,000 years of tradition behind this holiday, it’s no surprise that we carry a feeling of giddy enchantment with us throughout the day.
Rewind to where this all began, we would end up in Ireland celebrating the Pagan Festival of Samhain. This festival marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter ahead. During this time of year, people believed that the boundary between this world and the other world was at it’s thinnest, giving spirits, fairies, and souls of the dead the opportunity to cross over and cause mischief for humans. Ritualistic bonfires were lit as a way to represent the sun and summon the power of growth while holding back the darkness of winter and death. Customs also involved going house to house “in disguise” and offering a song or poem in exchange for an offering to appease the dead. Isn’t it interesting to see the similarities of how beliefs and traditions carry on throughout the years? And we are talking ANCIENT traditions, 2,000 years of it!
Even though we have evolved from the original traditions of Samhain, there are beliefs that we still carry on with us to this day. On a more personal level, there are a few deeply rooted ideas that we can still feel within our bones (Oh no Joyna, have the puns begun?).
Celebrating our Harvest.
This shifting season of Autumn brings the tradition of harvesting crops that have grown and been tended to in the warmer months of spring and summer. Traditions around celebrating the abundance of crops as well as hard work having paid off are still celebrated in our modern age. As we reflect on our own growth this past year, what are some of your own crops that you’re proud of? What are some of your experiences that can be acknowledged and celebrated? We tend to put a majority of our focus on the future, achieving our next goal or focusing on a problem to solve. However with this season of slowing down, take a moment to look back and see how far you have come. Give yourself that well-deserved pat on the back (and if you think you don’t deserve one, we need to talk). You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all the hard work you have already accomplished…and this is a celebration in itself!
Shedding what is no longer needed.
Nature gives us beautiful examples of letting go. Leaves release from branches as trees prepare to go dormant for the winter months. Heavy storm clouds shed rain onto the earth to provide nourishment and growth. As humans, we too have the capacity to shed our thoughts and declutter our physical surroundings to welcome in the space to breathe and begin anew. Reflecting on this past year, what is a thought or belief that may have had a purpose at one point, but is now ready to be shed? (By the way, for those that would like a refresher, there’s a whole article dedicated to shedding I wrote earlier this year.) When you truly let go of something such as a negative thought, or the need to be right in a particular situation, notice how you feel as a result. Perhaps peaceful, relaxed, and in an open space for a new and inspiring thought to surface? Sounds good to me.
Tend to your Inner Garden.
Again, nature is so GOOD at this! All the shedding that is happening on the earth ultimately creates fertilizer for something new and healthy to grow in this space. In our minds, if we continue to hold onto emotions and thoughts that are disempowering, we’re basically holding onto muck (eww) that turns us into year-round zombies and monsters of doom and gloom. So how much longer do you want to be a muck monster? When we intentionally shed the habits, thoughts, and patterns that have been keeping us stuck, we are preparing our inner world for growth. So pull out a mental weed a day and ask yourself “What do I have to gain by holding onto this thought?” and then like a dandelion, simply blow it away.
Treat yourself to Compassion.
The best kinds of treats are the ones we offer ourselves. When we tend to our inner mental state by weeding out thought patterns, sometimes our mind isn’t on board with changing things up. We are creatures of habit (again, 2,000 years of Halloween traditions have stuck with us!) and sometimes change can be a challenge. Some of us may have a critical voice that may persuade us why these changes are a bad idea. It’s in those moments where we can find compassion for that part of us and offer a bit of encouragement to try something new.
So with the celebrations of Halloween upon us, find a way to celebrate your harvest. Share a win with a close friend and ask what theirs has been. Take a moment to shed a dandelion of doubt. Nurture your inner garden by noticing what seeds you plant. And treat yourself to the sweetness of compassion.
Happy Halloween!